


The More I See You

by Redminibike1



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: 20s au, Alternate Universe - Historical, CC-2224 | Cody is a Good Bro, Dooku is still a count, Family Dynamics, First Kiss, First Meetings, Gift Exchange, Gift Fic, Happy Ending, M/M, Meet-Cute, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Siblings CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, cody is a boxer, jedi are like...wealthy??, obi owns a bookshop bc he can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29288520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redminibike1/pseuds/Redminibike1
Summary: Cody meets Obi-Wan outside the opera house under strange circumstances. He finds Obi-Wan beautiful and fascinating, and falls for him as they learn more about one another. But both men are keeping secrets, and the road is not too smooth.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 56
Collections: Star Wars Valentine's Exchange 2021





	The More I See You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sams_fluffadise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sams_fluffadise/gifts).



> Gift for sams_fluffadise as part of gift exchange. I hope you like it! Thanks to lilhawkeye3 for organizing everything, I'm super excited to be a part of this! This is my first time writing a historical au, so this was a fun experience. I picked the 20s just because I love the music and the clothing haha. I also really enjoyed writing some of the family dynamics with Dooku, Qui-Gon, Rex, Bly, Anakin, and Ahsoka. 
> 
> Title is a song by Nat King Cole. The song is beautiful, and I think the lyrics are quite fitting :)
> 
> I doubt anything is too historically accurate, so don't quote me on any of that
> 
> Warning for some implied period-accurate homophobia. Nothing bad, but Cody is obviously worried about it.

Cody likes watching people. He’s always been an observant person, which has helped him enormously during his boxing career. It’s an irreplaceable ability to be able to look at someone and understand how they attack or block, where they’ll move next or where they’re most vulnerable. 

But no matter how useful it is to his career, he always prefers to watch people outside of the ring. He likes to see how individuals act both in groups and alone, how they convey fear or anger or happiness through only their body language. He likes looking at people’s clothing and families and making up stories to go along with them. 

The place that quickly became his favourite to watch people is outside the opera house, especially on opening night. It is because of this habit of his that Cody has become Fox’s designated chaperone to work every night.

The day Fox was accepted into the opera orchestra was a fantastic one, years of lessons and constant playing echoing through their small house finally paying off. But the streets were dangerous, and cellos cost a pretty penny—Cody would know. So, he takes it upon himself to walk Fox the twelve blocks to the opera house, happy for a chance to observe the wealthy and well-educated, preventing his little brother from getting mugged, before heading off to work.

The first time Cody has stood beneath the awning that spread across the entirety of the opera house’s front, he was decidedly self-conscious. It was difficult, at first, to stand there in his work clothes, and look at people whose clothes cost more than his house. But it got easier and easier the more he did it, as he watched desperate old men attempt to gain the attention of the beautiful and indifferent women, or as groups of laughing young men smoked cigarettes and kicked a piece of garbage over the new gravel road. Once he realized that all these people were so similar to him and his family, at least from a distance, he had no problem reveling in his favourite pastime.

Cody has also become quite well-versed in the world of opera, mostly due to his enduring all of Fox’s passionate ranting during his months of practice, and especially as they walked to the opera house on every performance night. Tonight is Verdi’s La Traviata, and Cody’s looking forward to watching the final show and finally hearing the apparently beautiful ‘Addio del passato’, sung at the very end. 

It is currently pouring rain, and Cody is glad for the extra hour before his match starts, because it allows him to watch the few stragglers attempt to protect their tuxedos or dazzling dresses. One such example is the woman stepping out of a taxi, holding the hand of a young girl. They step gingerly onto the sidewalk, shoes clicking as they attempt to avoid the streams of water flowing towards the grates.

Cody begins to construct his stories about their life, wishing he had a jacket to help guard them from the downpour. The woman’s dress is of an older style, dark green and well-cared for, and currently dark with water. She guards the girl—her daughter, most likely—from the slanted rain, gently admonishing her as she fumbles with something hanging from her neck. They are nearly to the front entrance when the girl stumbles. She throws out her hand instinctively, and her necklace snaps. The pendant goes flying, and the girl falls into her mother’s side.

With a sudden wail, she lunges towards the street, where the pendant has just fallen into the stream of water running towards a grate against the sidewalk. Cody steps out from the awning as the mother grabs the child, ignoring the rain as he makes his way towards them. At the same time, the opera house door flies open, and a man comes jogging out. 

Cody actually _stops_ in the middle of the rain, shocked into place by how beautiful the man is, even as his red hair and tuxedo are quickly soaked by the rain. He is brought back to reality as the woman slips with a small shout, having been attempting to peer into the drainage grate. Cody walks over to the group just as the gorgeous man joins them. The redhead is already stripping off his tuxedo jacket, helping the woman up gently and wrapping the jacket around her.

_Ah,_ Cody thinks, _that’s her husband._

Still, he heads over, just as the man turns away from the little girl and makes to kneel.

“Wait!” He calls, and the trio look up. He reaches them, smiling and pushing his hair back. “There’s no need for you to ruin your suit reaching in there. I can do it.”

The man looks up from where he is crouched, squinting in the rain. Cody ignores the sight of rain dripping off his high cheekbones and beard. He smiles, bright and lovely, voice shockingly English. “Thank you, my friend, that’s very kind.” He stands as Cody kneels, leading the woman and girl to the awning. Cody reaches into the grate, wincing at the cold water soaking through his knees.

He pokes around the drain, unsure what exactly he’s trying to find. He still hasn’t succeeded when the man returns, now toting an umbrella that he holds over Cody. 

After a minute, Cody’s fingers brush a smooth metal surface. He grins with victory, pulling out a ring, gold and simple. He holds it up, raising an eyebrow to the redhead.

“Fantastic job, my friend. Let’s return it to its rightful owner.”

The pair jog out of the rain, heads close beneath the umbrella.

The woman exhales with blatant relief. “You found it?”

Cody nods and holds it out for the redhead, who takes it and crouches, handing it back to the girl. She grabs it shyly, leaning into her mother. 

“Thank you both ever so much. It was my husband’s, and now she never takes it off.”

Cody glances between the redhead and the pair, slightly confused. 

“The war?” The redhead asks softly, standing. Cody tries not to start, and the woman nods.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Cody intones, and the man glances over to him.

“Thank you. I thought I’d take her to the opera, but I don’t think it’s going to happen tonight.” The woman says.

The redhead laughs, “Perhaps not tonight. Let me fetch you a cab.”

The woman smiles, and the man ducks back into the rain, umbrella in hand.

She turns to Cody. “Thank you for doing that. I imagine it was unpleasant. My name is Nyla. This is my daughter Willow.” 

“It was no problem. I’m Cody.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Cody.” She glances past him. “I do believe our other saviour has wrangled a cab for us.”

They wait in silence as the man walks back towards them, smiling as he steps under the awning. There is a comradery between them all that Cody chuckles to notice.

“Alright, my dear, you’re good to go.”

Nyla smiles. “Thank you so much…?”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi.” The man provides.

Nyla’s eyes widen minutely, but she recovers immediately, introducing herself and Willow once again. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“Under strange circumstances perhaps, but all the better for it, Nyla and Willow.” Obi-Wan smiles.

Nyla laughs. “Say thank you to Cody and Obi-Wan, Willow.”

“Thank you.” Willow squeaks.

“Ah!” Nyla starts. “You’ll need your jacket back!”

Obi-Wan waves her off. “No need, please. I’d give you this umbrella, but I’m afraid I stole it from the poor fellow at the front desk.”

She chuckles. “We’ll just have to run. Thank you both again.”

She and Willow wave as they dart into the rain, ducking into the cab waiting for them.

Obi-Wan turns to Cody, sticking out a hand. “It’s good to meet you, Cody.”

Cody smiles, absorbed by eyes like summer skies, and shakes his hand. “You as well, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan flicks a blatantly appreciative gaze down Cody’s form, before meeting his eyes with a lazy smile. “That was all very heroic of you.”

Cody flushes, surprised. “I—It was exactly what you were about to do anyways. I just didn’t see the point in you ruining your suit.”

Obi-Wan nods in concession. “Perhaps. I am grateful, although I don’t think I’ll be going to the opera either now.”

Cody takes in Obi-Wan similarly soaked clothing, white shirt clinging attractively. “Perhaps not.”

For a second, Cody considers doing something foolish, invigorated by the rain and the sweep of hair hanging over Obi-Wan’s eyes. 

At that moment, the door to the opera house opens, and Cody and Obi-Wan step apart. Cody hadn’t realized they’d gotten so close. A haughty old man, tall and imposing, steps out, looking at Obi-Wan and Cody with cool eyes.

Obi-Wan steps beside Cody and grins. “Don’t worry, I’m not dead.”

“I see that. It seems your father continues to rub off on you. I had hoped getting you _into_ the opera house would be sufficient, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“You need some excitement in your life. There was a bit of a problem out here.”

“And you lost your jacket.”

“A necessary price, I’m afraid.”

The man sighs. “Go home, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan shrugs. “I will, grandfather. I _am_ sorry.”

“I’d love to believe that, but I really don’t.” The man looks over Cody appraisingly, eyebrows raised. “You stand like a military man. I imagine you served in the war?”

Cody stands up straighter. “Yes, sir. 212th Ground Force.”

“This is Cody. He helped with the unexpected mission.”

“Commander Cody of the 212th? Your name is well-known throughout the army. I heard you took many losses in the battle of Utap. You have my gratitude and condolences.”

Obi-Wan looks over Cody again, analyzing, and Cody nods sharply. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re going to miss the show, grandfather.” Obi-Wan says pointedly. 

“Hmph.” The man huffs. “Will we be seeing you again, Commander?”  
  


Cody furrows his brow, confused, and Obi-Wan coughs. “Goodbye, Dooku!”

If the man--Dooku?--was the type to roll his eyes, he would have then. He turns with a small nod and sweeps back into the opera house.

Obi-Wan turns to Cody. “That was my grandfather, obviously. I’m sorry about him.”

“It’s not a problem. I do need to get going now, though.”

“Are you not here for the opera?”

Cody shakes his head, chuckling as he looks down at his jeans and button-up shirt, completely unfitting for the opera. “No, my brother plays in the orchestra, so I was just killing time before I left for work.”

“Ah.” Obi-Wan says. “Have you ever watched him play?”

“I always try to go on the last night if I can. I have to make sure he doesn’t slack off near the end.”

“An interesting idea, I like it. Of course, you’re more soaked than I am, so I imagine the opera would be off the table either way.”

Cody laughs, looking down at himself again. “Yes, I think you’re right.”

Obi-Wan steps closer again. “I’ve never heard of the 212th, although Commander is quite an impressive title.”

Cody’s shoulders stiffen. “It didn’t stop my men from being massacred.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widen. “No, I imagine it didn’t. I was in the 501st Air Division, so I’ve never worked closely with many others.”

Cody imagines Obi-Wan in a fighter plane, and cuts his gaze away. “I’m sorry, that was harsh. I don’t like to think about the war.”

“I understand. I usually try to pretend it never happened. Cody, you are a very interesting man, and I quite enjoyed you coming to my rescue. Do you...do you think I might have that again? I could use someone to keep me out of trouble.”

Cody meets Obi-Wan’s earnest gaze and thinks about wealthy tuxedos, haughty accents, and men who are much too beautiful for him. He imagines sitting beside Obi-Wan at the opera, eating dinner with his grandfather, hiding his small house and large family, pretending they’re friends rather than whatever he’d like them to be. He closes his eyes briefly and shakes his head. “I’m sorry, I do really have to go.” 

Obi-Wan’s shoulders fall slightly, and he inclines his head. “Yes, of course.” He holds out the umbrella. “I’ll cover it. I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.”

Cody accepts it, mostly just so he has something to remind him that this wasn’t a product of his overactive imagination. “Thank you.”

“Thank _you_ , Cody.” Obi-Wan replies.

Cody turns to go, and Obi-Wan calls after him. “I have a bookstore on 9th and West 57th, if you’re ever passing by.”

Cody nods, eyes softening. He wants to go back, to _touch_ , but he doesn’t. He opens the black umbrella and walks away before he loses his strength.

..

Despite his conviction to stop thinking about Obi-Wan, he walks past the bookstore every day. He tries not to look inside, afraid to see hair like fire and eyes like a flood, but his gaze falls a little farther past the window with each passing day. The store is quaint and haphazard, and something Cody would love to explore, even without the promise of soft laughter and sly smiles.

His brothers had known something was different the second he walked into the boxing stadium, soaked to the skin. Rex stood from his crate beside the ring and calls out, “You’re late!” He walks closer, eyes keen, “Something happened.”  
  


Cody shook off the umbrella, closing it and walking over to his locker. “Nothing of consequence, Rex.”

“Go on, then.”

Cody glances at the small clock on the wall. “I’m not sure we have time.”

“Then you’ll have to talk fast.” Rex deadpans.

Cody sighs, “I stood by to watch, like I always do. It was raining hard, and there was a woman with her daughter, going to the show. They slipped, and the dead husband’s ring fell down a gutter. I had to grab it, which is why I’m a little soaked.”

The distinct sound of Bly’s footsteps echoed through the large room. “That’s not it, though.”

Cody stripped his damp shirt off, pulling out his hand wrappings and internally damning Bly’s perceptiveness. “No, that’s not it, but I’d like to warm up. Let’s discuss it later.”

He could practically feel Rex and Bly exchange looks, but he ignored it, changing into shorts and searching for his gloves. He placed the umbrella carefully inside his locker before closing the door.

They never talked about it, mostly due to Cody’s evasiveness, and Cody never mentions that he changed his walking route to incorporate the bookshop.

It takes two and a half weeks before he caves.

The day is unusually lovely, sun shining lovingly through the trees that line the roads. The bookshop calls to him, with dusty shelves just visible inside the window, and really, Rex’s birthday is coming up soon, and he loves science books that Cody has no idea how to look for. He has time before he actually has somewhere to be.

The door brushes a small wind chime when he opens it, and it tinkles cheerfully, welcoming him further inside.

The store is...lovely, really, in a messy and eccentric way. Books are piled onto shelves in no obvious order, so full that there are stacks against the walls. Where there aren’t books there are plants, overflowing and lush, bright and green. Cody maneuvers inside, and looks around with interest as he heads slowly towards the front desk.

“Hello, my friend. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Cody looks towards the man at the front desk and freezes. Obi-Wan looks so different and yet so much like himself, in a light green cable knit sweater, his red hair fluffed and messy.

Their eyes meet and Obi-Wan inhales, standing and placing his book down. Cody nearly melts because he _stood,_ like a nervous gentleman in a novel, and he is so beautiful with the afternoon sun catching in his hair.

The calico cat sleeping in a patch of sunlight wakes with a little jolt, and Obi-Wan reaches forward to pet them, fumbling nervously.

“Cody.” He greets, looking up furtively.

“Hello, Obi-Wan.” Cody replies, sounding calm despite his rapidly beating heart. The bookshop feels like a dream, suddenly, warm and home-like in a way Cody didn’t know he was missing. He imagines coming inside everyday, greeting Obi-Wan, petting the cat, stepping behind the counter and--and perhaps--leaning closer--touching a freckled nose--kissing--

“I was afraid you wouldn’t ever come.”

Cody fumbles with his shirt. “Yes, well, I, uh, my brother’s—my other brother’s—birthday is coming up, and he likes books. About, uh, science. Plants, especially.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes light up, and he steps around the desk, and he’s wearing _slacks_ and Cody _desperately_ wants to move closer. “I can think of something that might be good. Let’s see if I can actually find it.”

Cody follows Obi-Wan into the maze of bookshelves, turning seemingly at randomly, stopping and starting to straighten books. “I’d like to say there is order to this chaos, but my father seems to throw new things in everyday. I fear I’m losing track.”

“It’s wonderful.” Cody breathes, watching dust particles swirl through the sunlit air. Obi-Wan flashes him a fond smile, reaching a hand back and brushing their fingers for a moment.

“It’s my pride and joy. I spend much too long here.”

“Do you own it?”

“My father and I do. I live upstairs, actually.”

“I wasn’t sure if you weren’t just visiting America.”

Obi-Wan nods, slowing his pace. “That’s an understandable assumption, but no. My grandfather dragged us all over here about five years ago, so I haven’t managed to get rid of the accent.”

“Ah, alright.” Cody wants to ask more, wants to say he likes the accent, but he stops himself. There’s no need to pry or to share, not when he’s already full of revelations, stunned by Obi-Wan’s humanity, no longer the opera-goer, but the bookstore owner, scruffy and soft.

“So, this book isn’t for your musician brother?”

Cody laughs. “No, it’s for another brother of mine. I’m the eldest of five.”

“Really? What are their names?”  
  


“Bly, Rex, Fox, Waxer, and Boil. Fox is the musician, but the book is for Rex.”

“I’m the eldest in my family as well, although technically nobody is related by blood. Believe me, I get big families. Are those their real names?”

“No, no, Fox, Waxer, and Boil are nicknames.”

“Ah, I like it. ” Obi-Wan says, chuckling lightly.

Cody laughs. “What do you mean, not technically related?” He asks.

“There’s a tradition for adoption in my family. My grandfather adopted my father, and my father adopted me. We came over here with all of my extended family. My father adopted a boy we met here, named Anakin. There’s also a young girl named Ahsoka, but there’s still arguments over whether he’s adopting her or I am.”

“You want to adopt her?” Cody is practically invested in unraveling the strange mystery that is Obi-Wan’s family.

“I do, and Ahsoka would prefer it, but it’s a lengthy process, and there are a few barriers to overcome.” He doesn’t offer details and Cody doesn’t ask, although he is desperate to.

“Aha!” Obi-Wan exclaims, stopping and pulling out a dark blue book. “The Encyclopedia of North American Plants.”

Cody raises his eyebrows, intrigued, and takes the offered book. Flipping through it, he whistles lightly at the beautifully illustrated drawings and the pages of dichotomous keys at the front. “This is perfect.”

Obi-Wan grins. “I thought so. Let’s go ring you up.”

Cody and Obi-Wan continue talking at the front desk, as Obi-Wan clicks at the old cash register, and Cody hesitantly pets the cat, whom Obi-Wan introduces as Boga.

The door behind the counter opens and Cody startles. A man walks out, strangely tall, with abnormally long brown hair streaked with dignified grey and half pulled back, and eyes that are piercing blue, much like Obi-Wan’s. He smiles, knowing and calm, and Cody relaxes automatically in his presence.

Obi-Wan turns around. “Hello, father.”

Obi-Wan’s father smiles, “Obi-Wan, it seems your Cody found his way here eventually.”

Cody flushes, shocked, and the man chuckles. “Hello, my friend. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn. You’ve made quite an impression on my son, for having met him once.”

“I—He made a large impression on me as well. It’s good to meet you, sir.”

Qui-Gon glances over to Obi-Wan, whose face is hidden from Cody’s view. “Well, I’ve been summoned by Dooku, so I’ll leave you both to it.”

He steps around the desk and pats Cody on the back as he goes. “I think I’ll like you, should you decide to stick around. Be warned, our family is...interesting.”

Cody is confused, but he responds anyway. “Thank you, sir. Not to worry, my family is fairly strange as well.”

The door tinkles as Qui-Gon exits, and Obi-Wan exhales. “I apologize, my father enjoys insinuating at many things.” He hands the book to Cody almost shyly, “Would you, perhaps, want to grab a drink with me?”

Cody pulls his wallet out, averting his gaze as his heart races. He pulls out a bill and hands it to Obi-Wan. “I’d like that.” He agrees, simply, as their fingers brush.

…

Obi-Wan goes through the back door to grab his keys, and Cody jumps again as the front door slams open. Barrelling through are two figures, laughing at something and failing to notice Cody. It is a young man, tall and blond, and a teenage girl, small and dark-skinned. Under different circumstances, Cody would be fascinated to watch their unbridled joy, but in the otherwise empty bookstore, he is instead filled with apprehension.

“Obi-Wan!” The young man calls, and Cody sighs. Of course they know Obi-Wan.

The girl turns to look at him, eyes widening. She elbows the young man, and Cody smiles nervously. The man whispers, “What?” and glances around the store before tracking the girl’s eyes to Cody. A strangely feral grin grows on his face, and he stalks towards Cody.

“What’s your name, fair stranger?”

The girl chuckles and Cody stands up, forcing the appearance of confidence. He’s not quite sure why he’s so intimidated by the two strangers, except for a feeling that they’re important for some reason. “Cody. And you are?”

The man cackles, and the girl’s face softens. She moves forward, holding out a hand. “I’m Ahsoka, and this is Anakin. We’ve heard about you.”

At that moment, Obi-Wan comes jogging back into the shop, keys jingling slightly. 

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin laughs, “You left poor Cody all alone!”

“If I had known you were coming, I would’ve had him hide.” Obi-Wan deadpans, but then he smiles fondly. He turns to Ahsoka, who runs over to hug him tightly. “Hello, dear one.” he whispers. Cody melts a little, and Anakin claps him on the back. Quietly, he says, “Obi is a sap, you should know.”

Cody looks over at Anakin, “I can tell.” He chuckles. “You know, I think you’d get along with my brother.”

Anakin raises his eyebrows. “If you’re serious about _my_ brother, I’ll probably meet him eventually.”

Cody wonders what lives these people have lived, where they can address relationships between two men with such ease. He dives in anyways, determined to find out for himself, if he can. “We’ll need a chance to figure it out ourselves, but I have no intentions of leaving.”

“That’s all I need to hear.”

“Alright Anakin, stop tormenting Cody.” Obi-Wan strolls around the desk, and Cody moves closer to him. “Are you ready to go?” he asks.

Cody nods, waving at Ahsoka, who waves back excitedly. He follows Obi-Wan out of the store, blinking in the bright sunlight.

…

The bar is beautiful and intriguing, with a jazz band and dancing. Obi-Wan leads him to the bar, and they sit with a nod to the bartender.

They order, and finally they get to know each other. In the rambunctious bar, they speak in lowered voices, heads bowed together, about their families, about books and music and growing up. With every passing minute, Cody falls more and more for Obi-Wan, who is kind and loving, soft and sharp in equal measures. Cody revels in the chance to learn more about him, and he uncovers the story of his adoption at thirteen, his move to America, his first time meeting Anakin and Ahsoka. Out of some lingering fear, Cody refrains from discussing his own life, afraid of judgement that he’s come to expect from others, and he feels as if Obi-Wan might also be holding back on some things. He _does_ talk about his brothers, because they are more important to him than his job or his house or his hobbies. Obi-Wan seems content to learn about Fox, Bly, Rex, Waxer, and Boil, sharing his own anecdotes about Anakin, Ahsoka, Qui-Gon, and Dooku until they are both breathless with laughter.

They leave a few hours later, and end up back at the bookstore. Obi-Wan unlocks the door and holds it open wordlessly. Cody enters, noting the change in the light coming through the window. 

Obi-Wan wanders over to the desk, facing away from Cody as he arranges some paper. “Would you...perhaps want to come up? I could give you a tour?”

Cody stops, hand paused from where he was scanning the shelf of books. “Upstairs?” He shakes his head to clear his thoughts, burying his hands in his pockets. “Sure.” He’s not quite sure where his new impulsiveness came from, since he’s usually so overly-careful.

Obi-Wan turns, eyes bright. “Really?”

“I think I’d like to see where you live.” Cody says, smiling.

Obi-Wan’s apartment suits him perfectly, Cody decides. There’s a few plants lining the creaky stairs, and a little bowl that Obi-Wan grabs on the way up. “For Boga.” He explains sheepishly.

The stairs open into the kitchen, which is bright and open, little herbs growing in pots on the windowsill by the sink. Cody leans against the counter as Obi-Wan fills the bowl with water and goes to put it back. He imagines Obi-Wan bustling around the kitchen, sleeves rolled up as he cooks, and imagines himself there too, helping and laughing.

Obi-Wan taps him on the shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Want to look around?”

Cody shrugs with false offhandedness. Obi-Wan chuckles, obviously seeing right through him. He scans Cody’s face, deliberating something, before grabbing his hand. Cody startles, looking around automatically, before sighing. Moving forward, he grasps Obi-Wan’s hand tighter, intertwining their fingers, as if rebelling against some unknown force.

Obi-Wan laughs softly and tugs Cody forward to continue deeper into the apartment.

The living room comes next, with two comfortable-looking sofas, a few tables--one on which rests a gramophone--, and a _piano._ Cody’s eyes brighten. “Do you play?”  
  


Obi-Wan chuckles. “As a teenager, yes, but I gave it up the second I was allowed. Ahsoka is taking lessons, and I find I rather like it. Do you?”

“Not well, but I took it up to help Fox practice for his audition. I found I quite liked it.”

Obi-Wan turns to Cody, eyes dark. “You really care about your brothers. Can you play something for me?”

Cody nods shyly, and they sit on the bench together. Obi-Wan separates their hands, and Cody mourns the loss for a moment before splaying his fingers across the keys. His hands subconsciously find their position, and Cody begins to play his favourite piece.

It’s simple and soft at first, growing in volume and difficulty as he plays. Obi-Wan leans over, placing his head on Cody’s shoulder. The song peaks and he brings it back down, softer and softer until he finishes on the last note of an arpeggio. Obi-Wan turns his face so his breath huffs against Cody’s neck. “That was beautiful, Cody.” He whispers. “What song was that?”

“It doesn’t really have a name. It’s just a little thing I came up with.”

Obi-Wan pulls away slightly. “You came up with that?”

Cody nods, looking down. Obi-Wan clicks his tongue, touching Cody’s jaw and guiding him to face Obi-Wan again. Cody looks into his blue-blue eyes, watches his tongue flick across his bottom lip, and leans forward at the same time that he does.

It’s a short kiss, chaste and exploratory, but Cody is breathless when they part. He feels as if he’s just leapt off a cliff, and he rests his forehead on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, closing his eyes. He listens to the radiator, the clock ticking on the wall, Obi-Wan’s breathing, his heartbeat, and thinks that maybe he could live with this.

When Cody sits back up, watching Obi-Wan’s soft expression with unbridled affection, he notices the sun shining on Obi-Wan’s hair, lighting it up in red. His eyes widen in realization. “Christ, I’m gonna be late.”

“Cody?” Obi-Wan asks, confused, as Cody swivels and stands, looking at the clock on the wall.

“I have to go or I’ll be late for work.”

“Oh! Of course.” Obi-Wan steps a little closer, but seems to hesitate. “Can I have your number?”

Cody bounces on his feet, suddenly anxious. “I really have to go, and my brothers will harass me if you call when I’m not there. How about I come by the shop again and I’ll give it to you then?”

Obi-Wan wilts, but recovers quickly. “Don’t wait too long, okay?”

Cody smiles as they walk towards the stairs. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”

…

It is only a day later that Cody sees Obi-Wan again, in the last place he ever expected.

The boxing venue is not the most credible of locations, but it pays well, and it's also Cody’s best bet to ever be discovered professionally. It’s dingy and cramped, but also exciting and gratifying. He’s used to ignoring the crowd during the match, focussing instead on his opponent, watching them and analyzing them in the way that has brought him success. He is fighting a man who goes by Maul, who is swift and merciless and one of Cody’s toughest opponents. Still, Cody comes out on top, due to his own abilities as well as Maul’s arrogance. They shake hands, although Maul is obviously angry, wiping the blood from his nose. When the referee lifts Cody’s arm to signal victory, Cody finally allows himself to look into the crowd, spotting first Waxer and Boil in their usual seats.

It’s Anakin he sees next, winding his way through the stands, and Cody’s startles. He keeps his face neutral, but his heart pounds with more fear than he ever felt during a fight. Scanning the crowd, he spots _him_ , sitting with Ahsoka in the middle of the stands, red hair glinting in the low light, blue eyes shining with an unrecognizable emotion. Cody averts his gaze immediately, and he shakes his head at Rex as he exits the ring.

Victory turned hollow, Cody rips his gloves off the second he gets inside the back room, opening his locker quietly and grabbing a towel. The door opens again, but Cody doesn’t acknowledge it, unwilling to talk to his brothers like he usually would.

“What happened out there? You won, but you look like you didn't.” Bly comes to stand beside Cody, handing him a bottle of water. 

“I lost something else.” He looks at the umbrella resting in the corner of his locker, and his stomach clenches.

Rex walks in as Cody turns to Bly, eyes welling with tears of frustration and sadness. “Cody!” He yells, jogging forward. “What’s wrong?”

Bly leads him over to the bench, grabbing his hand and watching him thoughtfully. Cody grits his teeth, resigned to be honest with his two brothers.

“Remember that evening when I dropped Fox off at the opera house, when it was raining?”

“Yeah, we remember.” Bly nods encouragingly.

“There was someone. I—I met this man. He—we—he was interesting, and beautiful, and he told me to come by this bookshop he owns. I finally did, yesterday, and—and we spent the afternoon together, at this bar. He—he’s not afraid, not like I am, and I—I told him about you guys, but I didn’t tell him anything about—about what I do. But he’s here! He’s here, right now, and he just watched me boxing, so now he knows.”

“What does he know, Cody? What’s wrong with boxing? He came to watch it, didn’t he?”

“You don’t understand! I met him at the opera! He owns a goddamn bookshop! He’s so...fascinating, and I beat people up for a living!”

“Cody, I need you to be quiet, okay? I don’t know where your manager is.” Bly whispers. “I have no doubt it’s not as bad as you think. If this guy spent the day with you, then he knows just how intelligent and compassionate you are. If he’s turned away by your job, then he isn’t worth it, but I know he won’t be.”

Shivering slightly, Cody nods his head, taking a deep breath. Rex goes into his locker and digs around for a second. “Take a shower, get dressed, and we can figure everything out.” He says. 

Bly nods, guiding Cody up and shuffling him over to the shower room.

Cody showers quickly, soaping up his hair and thinking about anything but blue eyes meeting his in a crowded room. He finishes quickly and throws on the clothes Rex laid out for him, a white button-up and some wool trousers, his usual post-match greeting clothing. He sits back on the bench in the middle of the locker area, closing his eyes and rubbing his legs absently, until he hears a small knock on the door, and Waxer and Boil walk in.

“Hey Cody, are you okay? Bly and Rex were acting a little weird.” Waxer asks.

“I’m alright. What’s going on?”

Boil jumps in. “Good job out there, huh? That Maul guy seemed like a pretty tough ticket. Anyways, there’s some guy out there who says he wants to talk to you. I tried to follow the usual drill, but, well, he said he knows you.” He explains.

“He’s a real looker.” Waxer laughs.

Cody stands swiftly, moving to the door. “When was this?”  
  
“Whoa, do you know who it is? Is that what was going on?” Waxer asks, moving as Cody sweeps by.

“Yeah, I know him.” Without another word, Cody walks into the main arena. The crowd is large, the entire audience enjoying the more social aftermath of the match. His manager moves beside him, slapping him on the shoulder and motioning him forward. “You did good today. Maul was a tough one, but I knew you could handle it.”

Cody laughs weakly, scanning the crowd for any flash of red. Again, he sees Anakin first, weaving through the crowd with determined focus. Cody watched Anakin look around, gaze passing over him before he double-takes. He sees Anakin call out to someone, and then suddenly Obi-Wan is there too, Ahsoka in tow. All three of them look to Cody, who shakes his head as subtly as he can, gesturing to his manager. Ahsoka nods and tugs Obi-Wan away, speaking quietly to Anakin.

Cody ditches his manager as soon as he is able, and almost immediately Obi-Wan is by his side. Leaning closer, Cody pushes away all his dread, resigned to the impeding shattering of yesterday’s dream. “We can talk outside, but we can’t leave together. Watch what door I go out.”

Obi-Wan opens his mouth, but Cody interrupts, “Please.”

Obi-Wan nods, and Cody winds his way to the far wall, accepting the scattered congratulations before slipping out the side exit.

The alleyway is dirty and blessedly empty, and Cody distantly wonders when his life became this horrible. He turns when the door creaks, and looks over Obi-Wan, likely for the last time. He’s overdressed by far, in a lovely navy suit, hair slicked back.

Cody looks away, feeling undeserving to think of Obi-Wan in this way. He starts to pace, burying his hands in his trouser pockets. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you from the beginning.”

“Tell me what? That you’re such a fantastic boxer? You’ve got honest-to-god _fans_ in there.”

“That I’m a boxer, that I’m poor, that I’m crude and undignified and completely unworthy of you.”

Obi-Wan inhales sharply. “Cody, I—I don’t think—none of that is true. Anakin and Ahsoka dragged me here, and I was so shocked to see you up there, but all I felt was worry for your safety, and pride for your success. Money holds no importance to me, and neither does your profession. You do, my dear, and you are intelligent and compassionate and absolutely amazing.”

Cody turns, eyes darting over Obi-Wan’s painfully earnest expression. His heart clenches, and he steps forward, desperate to _touch_ , because what has he done to deserve this man.

“Cody, I—there’s something—” Obi-Wan begins, but the door slams open and they step back quickly.

Ahsoka, Anakin, and Rex pour out, talking happily between themselves, but quieting when they see Obi-Wan and Cody.

“Everything work itself out?” Anakin asks, nodding to Cody.

“Just a small miscommunication.” Obi-Wan says softly.

“You had my brother very unhappy.” Rex says, frowning and crossing his arms.

Anakin laughs, moving to wrap an arm around Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about Obi-Wan and money. He’s strangely flippant about it, considering how much old Dooku is leaving him.”

Everyone but Anakin seems to freeze, and Cody stares at Obi-Wan.

“...Leaving...him?” Rex asks carefully.

Ahsoka turns to Obi-Wan, “You didn’t tell him?” She asks quietly.

“It doesn’t matter! It’s completely unimportant to who I am.” Obi-Wan exclaims. Lowering his voice, he turns to Cody. “I was going to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Cody asks, voice much steadier than he feels. He has a feeling about what he’s going to hear, thinking back to operas and haughty grandfathers and bookshops that never have any customers. Rex walks to stand beside him, as if establishing their side.

“My grandfather is...quite wealthy, and my father...well, I’m set to inherit. You must see that it’s hardly important to anything about my family! You’ve met my father, and me, and Anakin and Ahsoka, none of us were born into money at all!”

“Your grandfather is...quite wealthy.” Cody says slowly.

“He was a politician in England, until he brought us here ten years ago. From what I understand, there was corruption he couldn’t handle. He’s...he was a Count, back then.”

Rex coughs, and Cody blinks rapidly. “A...Count. Right, so, what am I? Is this some joke? Have you all been laughing about tugging around the poor guy?”

Anakin steps forward, fists clenching, as Obi-Wan shakes his head firmly. “Didn’t you hear him? None of us were rich. Dooku adopted Qui-Gon, Qui-Gon adopted Obi-Wan and me. His money doesn’t mean a damn thing to any of us, so why does it matter to you?”

“Because you have it, and I don’t!” Cody turns, brushing off Rex to continue pacing. “Don’t you get it? I met you outside the opera house, because I can’t afford to get inside! It takes a week of my wages to buy a ticket for the _last_ _night_ , just so I can see my brother play!” He shakes his head. “The only people who think money is not important are the people who have it.” He stops, staring at the pavement before looking straight at Obi-Wan. “That’s not even it. What’s going to happen if this continues? At what point do I become a secret, some skeleton in the family closet?”

Anakin throws his hands up, “What the hell are you even talking about? We all—”

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan interrupts quietly. “Thank you, but I think I need to handle this.” He looks at Rex and Ahsoka. “Can Cody and I have some privacy?”

Rex raises his voice, “I don’t care if your granddad is a goddamn Count! If you honestly think--”

It’s Cody’s turn to interrupt. “Rex, please. I’ll be fine. Go inside, please. Distract my manager or something.”

Ahsoka nods, grabbing Anakin’s arm. “We’re on it. Cody, please give us a chance.”

The door closes behind the trio, and the silence feels suffocating. Cody wrings his hands, and Obi-Wan moves closer. “Cody, at no point would you ever become a secret. I swear to you. My entire family already knows about you, and that’s not going to change.”

Cody closes his eyes tightly. “I know how relationships turn out when there are class differences. They don’t work. It’s always going to get in the way.”

“I know, I know, but I don’t—I’m not going to try and take anything away from you. I’m not going to make you change, but I’m also not going to pretend our differences don’t exist. We—we—I _want_ this to work, and I think you do too. I want to make your life easier, not because you’re a charity case, but because I—I love you. And I’m not expecting anything from you, I’m not forcing you into anything, I don’t need you to change or hide. I just want you to be yourself.”

“So what do you want to happen here?” Cody asks, ears hot from hearing Obi-Wan’s confession.

Obi-Wan steps even closer. “I want you to forgive me for hiding things from you. I want us to continue to get to know one another. I want you to kiss me and come to dinner with me and talk to my dad a bit more. I want you to take me to meet all your brothers, to invite me to watch your matches, to come see me in my bookshop and cook dinner with me in my apartment.”

“Obi-Wan...I love you too. I wanted all those things from the first moment I saw you. I..I know I shouldn’t, and I tried not to, even though I didn’t know just how far apart we are.”

Grabbing Cody’s hand with both of his, Obi-Wan pulls it close to his chest. “Cody, we’re not far apart, we—we won’t be. We can be as close as you’ll allow.”

“What will we be, though? What will your—what does your family know?”

“They know I like you. They’ll know the truth. If—if that’s what you want, of course.”

Cody sighs, smile growing as joy consumes him. “I want anything you’ll give me.”

Obi-Wan laughs, relieved and happy. “I want to give you everything, if you’ll have me.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I too would confess my love to either Obi-Wan or Cody after interacting three times. 
> 
> I threw a little callout for Addio del passato from La Traviata, mostly because it’s absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend listening to that.
> 
> Also referenced the song Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy just because I love that song for Codywan :) I also recommend giving it a listen!
> 
> I'm not quite sure when this fic became an interpretation of class differences, but ya'know how it is


End file.
